Missouri Fisherman Catches Whopping 120-lb Catfish

A Missouri man caught a whopper of a catfish recently that broke the state’s record at 120 pounds.

Burr Edde III of Malta Bend earned a spot in the record books when he caught the massive catfish on a stretch of the Missouri River using a trot-line. The fish, measuring 55 inches long and 45 inches around, officially broke the record for a catfish caught by “alternative methods.” The previous record was set in 1964, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

“Oh my goodness! That’s a big fish,” Edde told state officials. “How am I going to get this one into the boat?! It was definitely an experience of a lifetime to catch one that big. I was blessed. And there are still lots of them out there!”

In Missouri record-breaking fish are measured in two categories, those caught by a traditional pole-and-line and those caught by “alternative methods” such as a trotline. A trotline is a heavy fishing line with baited hooks attached at intervals by means of branched lines connecting by a swivel.

Though Edde said he would have liked to have released the big fish, unfortunately the goliath did not survive long enough. The fish was kept on ice until it could be weighed at the Bass Pro headquarters in Springfield.

While Edde’s catfish was certainly big, it is not the world’s largest by far. Earlier this year a fisherman caught a 280-pound catfish in Italy, officially breaking the world’s record.

For video of this massive, world-record-breaking catch check out the video below: